Lubricating means



R. J. GRAY 2,000,170

LUBRICATJNG MEANS Filed June 28, 1952 2 vsheets-sheet -1 May 7, 1935.

gmc/who@ i (D RUSSELL JGRAY w May 7, 1935. R. J. GRAY 2,000,170

LUBRIGATING MEANS Filed June 28, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 aw aM/W A www RUSSELL l GRAY "fil Patented May?, 1935 y 2,000,170

UNITED; STATES` PATENT GFFICE,

. 2,000,17ojf v s y s 1 LUBRICATmGMEANs, Rlussell J. Gray, 'Minneapolis 4Minn. 'A'pplieaiionl ,rune 2s, 1932, serial No.. 619,748

7 Claims. (C1. zal-47.3) i

My invention relates '-to a new, and useful system whereby two successive pairs of differengrease gun and lubrication means for dispensing tial pistons, the rst pair air-actuated and the lubricants under high pressure. My (invention second pair lubricant-actuated, and a resistance further relates to a system of lubrication Wherespring 'and a check-valved' Yby-pass associated yby the lubricant is subjected first to Va'p'redewith thek second pair of differential pistons, are 5 4 termined low pressure, and thenY to a predeterso related to'each other Vthat in ther normal mined high pressure, and finally to a still higher operationof nthe system (in the klubrication of pressure should Vthe secondmpressure stage be bearings' not substantially frozen) with a insuflicient;-the last pressure stage being autosource of. compressed air more or less Within the 10 matically brought into operation only when the` usual range of relatively low pressure (between 10 second pressure stage is insufcie'nt A'to-move the 50 and 200'pounds per square inch)the spring Ygrease or lubricant. Y A l will maintain the second pair of differential pis- Itv is an object of my inventionto provide tons'inan inoperative condition (and Ythus cause lubricating 'means whereby the lubricant may be .the flowof lubricant through said by-pass), and l5 supplied from a remote sourceof supply `vat a fso that wheneverthe. systemis connected with 15 relatively low pressure of,V possibly 75 to 150 or and is caused toY operate in connection with a 200 pounds, to a manually operable pneumatic y substantiallyV frozen bearing which increases dispenser which is portable VWithin the limits of the. resistance to the flow of lubricant through. the reach o f the flexible hose connections, and said by-pass to a pressure approaching (though from which the lubricant is expelled at an insomewhatA less than) the maximum lubricant 20 termediate pressure of several thousand pounds, pressure which the first pair of differential pispossibly anywhere from one to three or four tons are capable of developing (that is, the presvthousand pounds, which is ordinarily sufcient sure of the source of compressed air multiplied for lubricating most any bearing. `After the bythe pressure ration of the first pair of differy lubricant leaves this intermediate pneumatic ential pistons), 's the thus` increased lubricant 25 grease dispenser, it passes through va iinalhighV pressure acting upon the vrlarger .of the second pressure chamber or passageway, which is norpair ofdiiferential pistons will overcome the remally inoperative and which is brought into sistance bof said spring and cause said second operation onlyA by the increase of the. pressure pair of differential pistons to move'forward and 1 to an amount approaching (though somewhat to expel a small amount of `lubricant into-the `30 less than) vthe maximum pressure which the bearing to be`lubricated at a still higher prespneumatic dispenser'is capable of exerting upon sure;-'said last pressure however, being condithe lubricant. When this latter pressure is tioned wholly upon theinitialair pressure `and reached, then the final high pressure piston isA being generally .withoutl the control ,of the caused to operate, thereby to exert a stillhigher operator. 1 -v pressureupon the lubricant, sufficient to clear My Ainvention further consists of certain novel most any frozen bearing. Vfeaturesof construction in the second pair of Y A further object of my presentinvention is to differential pistons and associated l elements Y provide lubricating means wherebyv the highest whereby V.the action of thev same may jbe 40 pressure which is created automatically by-the improved. i f 14,0 system (when the resistance to the flow of lubri- AMy invention further consists of other novel s cant, caused by a frozen bearing, builds up a features andvd'etails ofv construction, .all ofl pressure approaching the maximum pressure which will appear more fully from the following provided for normal operation) is not left Within detailed description.'

the control of the operator but wherebysuch Forthe purpose of illustrating my invention; 4 5 maximum pressure (brought on by. a frozen I have" shown in the accompanying drawings, s

y bearing) is still controlled by the system itself one-,form `thereof which is at present preferred l wholly independently of the operator, thereby by me, 4sincethe same has been found inprac-v tending to prevent any damage to the-part or tice to give satisfactory and reliable results, al-

to the mechanism to be lubricated by the sudden though itis to be understood that the various o application of excessive pressures which operainstrumentalities of which my invention consists tors may be inclined to apply to ffrozen ncan be variously varranged andorganized and z bearings. i i 1 that my invention is not limited to the precise With the above and otherobjects in view,.my arrangement and organization of the instruinvention consists ofa certain novel lubricating mentalitiesas herein shown and described.

operative condition, that is, in the condition in whichf'it merely affords a clear` passageway for the lubricant. v

Figure 3 represents a similar sectional ViewAv of the high pressure means, showing the same in. the beginning of its operative stroke.` Y

Figure 4 represents a similar sectional view of the high pressure means showing .fthe same at ther end of its operative stroke.

In carrying out my invention, I employ any suitable source of lubricant under relatively low.V

pressure, as for instance, a source of supply like that shown in Figure 3 of my U.,S.,Patent No; Y1,917,965, from which the lubricant is transmitted through the flexible hose 5 under relatively low pressure, throughrthe swivel connection l6,

to the'handle 1 of the pneumatic grease dis-. penser' 8, and thence through the duct 9 to the intake port I9 of the pressure cylinder'll.r The lpressure cylinder I I contains the pressure piston I2, which is directly affixed' or connectedY to the [pneumatic piston I3 operating within thev pneumatic cylinder I4, which is formed integrallyv with the pressure cylinder "I I. Y v The pneumatic cylinder I4 vis detachably sev'cured to the handle portion 1 of `the pneumatic 'grease dispenser 8,'by means of a series of bolts I5, and the vflanges I9 and I1, as'shown particularlyY in Figure l. e

Y A flexible compressed airhose I8 is extended 'through the flexible lubricant hose 5, as indicated particularly in 'Figure 1,l and is connected to any source of compressed air (notkshown in .the drawings) Thecompressed air hose is di'- rectly connected toY thefair duct I9 Vwithinvthe handle, and hence comes through the Vmanually 'operable'.valve '29 witlrthe airinlet port `-ZI leading lto, the pneumatic cylinder I4. Y

By depressingrthe knob or button 22 with the indexiingergwhile the hand grips the handle at the portionv 23, the valve 2Ilis unseated from the f valve seat 24, and admits the compressed air pastA the valve stem 25. During this operation, the conical exhaust Valve 26 isseated against vthe valve seat 21, and thereby prevents thees- Vcape/of the compressed air through the 'exhaust port 28,

V The compressed airY propels the pneumatic piston I3 in the'directio'nof the farrow 29, and

causes the lubricant 'admitted' intothe pressure cylinder II' to be expelled pastrthe rcheck valve 3 0. The spring 3i returns the pneumatic piston I3, and the, grease piston I2 when the airpressure isreleased by releasing the button 22. The spring 32 in turn closes the check valve 3!) and thus prevents the return of lubricant, and thus admits'a new charge from the supply duct 9 and hose 5. i n

`The swivel 6 is formed of the metallic bushing 34, the outer end of whichenters the hose 5 and to which the hose isl anchored by means Aof 'any `Vsuitable exterior metallic clamping seal r35, and

the inner'end' 36 of which enters andY is jour- `nailed within the Vbore 31 in the handle member `1. VvThe 4diameter ofthe bushing 34 is reduced' slightly so as jto produce a slight annular shoulder 38, which is adapted to be engaged byan revolution' or .slightly less. Yprevent kthe inner compressed air hose I8 from member member 5I is adapted to travel.

annular retainer plate or disc 39 held in place by screws 40, thereby rotatably to lock the bushing 34 within the bore 31 of the handle 1. The innermost end of the bushing 34 is also reduced at 4I, and a U-shaped packing gasket 42 of leather or other similar material, is interposed between the bore 31 in the handle member and the reduced diameter portion 4I of the bushing 34 so as to seal the swivel joint against the grease or lubricant. In order to limit the swivelling movement of the bushing 34a-nd hose 5 inrelation to the handle 1, suitable stops 43 Land 44 vare provided on the bushing 34 and in the handle portion 1 respectively, so as to limit lthe swivell'ing movement to approximately one This is in order to being twisted unduly, since the connection of vsaid inner compressed air to the handle member is not swivelled but isiixed.

The lubricant expelled by the piston I2 is then transmitted through any suitable iiexible hoseV 45; into the chamber 4B of the high pressure means. Herethe lubricant normally passes through `the center passageway 41 and the passageway 48', into the chamber 49 and lout through the couplingmember 50 into the lubricant receptacle or Vgrease lcup 5I permanently connected to the vbearing to be lubricated.

VThe housing' of the high 'pressure unit or meansfis formed of sections 52, 53, 54, 55, and

;-the latter section being a bayonet couplin vor other suitable coupling member.

v,Within the housing member 52, a hat-shaped washer 51 of leather or other suitable material,

Ais iixedly lsecured around its periphery 58, by

means of an externally threaded annular lock ring 59, which'is threaded into the enlargement in the inner end of the housing member 52.

Within the housing member 54, a cylindrical Abore Sais provided, within which the piston The piston member 6I is provided with the -cupshaped packing gasket Aor washer 62 of leather oroth'er suitablepacking material, held in place against the shoulder I3 by a piston member 64,l which is provided with a reduced diameter threadedVv portion 65, which Ais threaded into the piston member GI, as shown in Figures 2,V 3 and 4. n

The piston member 64 is provided with a cy'- Ylindrical piston portion '56 of a diameter somewhat less than the diameter oi the piston `BI, andfitting snugly within the hat-shaped packing gasket 51, as shown particularly in Figure l.

The piston member 6I is integral with -a smaller diameter high pressure piston 61, which fits snugly within anat-shaped washer or gasket AG8, of leather or other suitable packing material, which is held in position by its flange 1U, between the shoulders 1I and 12 of the two Yhousingmembers 54 and 55, which are threadedly secured to each other at 13. The piston 61 is adaptedtopass'through the hat-shaped packing gasket 56' and into the high pressure cylinder Av helical compression spring 14 of suitable strength is operatively interposed betweenV a shoulder 'i5 of the housing member 54, and a shoulder 16'intermediate the low 'pressure pis- 'ton member 6I and the high'pressure piston member 61. The spring 14 urges the rigidly interconnected piston members 56, 6I and 61 in the direction'oi the Varrow 11, and so long as the pressure within the chamber 46 Aand the lio 2,000,176 passageways 41, 48,/ and 49 is below a certain fixed limit (determined by Vthe strength of the spring v14 and relative diameters ofthe Vpistons 66, 6I and'61) the pistons will be in the eX- treme inoperative position shown in Figure 2. As thev pressure-within the cylinder 49` and passageways48, 41 and chamber 46 increases, by reason of an obstruction inthebearing to which the grease cup I is connected, or'by reason of an obstruction in the passageway-leading to the bearing which prevents the grease `from passing out through said passageways, the pressure within the chamber 46 upon the piston portion 66 causes all three pistons 66, 6I 'and 61 to be moved forward in the' direction of the arrow 18. This causes'the piston 66 to pass out of the gasket 51 until the grease obtains direct vaccess to the somewhat larger diameter piston 6I. This permits the grease to exert astill greater force upon the movable piston unit and causes the piston unit to travel forward in the direction of the arrow 18 with greater force.

r By reason of the relatively greater diameter of Athe Vpiston 6I, and the relatively smaller diameter of the piston 61, a much increased pressure is developed withinl the cylinder 49;-said pressure being equal to the'pressure being delivered by the pistonA I2, (Figure 1) multiplied by the ratio between the effective areas of the piston 6I and the piston 61; less'the pressure of the spring 14. Aball check valve 19, loosely held in place by the pin 80, seats against a valve seat 8I as soon as the pistons travel forward in the direction of the arrow 18, thereby trapping the lubricant or grease ahead of the check valve 19, within Vthe high pressure `cylinder 49, and

exerting upon the thus entrapped grease a pressure greater than the pressure of the grease as delivered by the 'piston I 2 (Figure 1). This forward travel continues to the full limit'of the movement of the pistons, so long as grease is supplied from `the pneumatic unit shown in` Figure 1. When the pistonl 61 has travelled through its full stroke andhas delivered-the rcontents of the cylinder 49 to the bearing at the increased pressure, the pressure within the hose line 45 is relieved by unscrewing the 'reliefvalve 82, which permits the escape of the pressure through the openings 83 and the check'valve 30 and the opening 84 in the relief valve 82.

'As soony as the pressure within the hose 45 drops below that which is required bythe spring 14,' either by the Vrelief through 4the' opening 84 yor by a complete clearance of the bearing beinglubricated, the spring 14 returns the pistons to their original condition shown l in Figure 2. During the latter part of this return stroke, the

last portion of grease is by-passed through a by-pass opening 85 and the spring-pressed check valve 86 and the by-pass opening 81.

' This cycle of roperations is repeated whenever the pressure built up by a clogged bearing increases to the predetermined amount, whereupon the pistons automatically move forward and force a small amount of grease forward with an increased pressure. pressure drops by a clearance of the bearing opening, or by a manual relief through the opening 84, the pistons return to their original position, and the operation may be repeated again.

The pressure of the spring 14 and theV relative diameters of the piston members 66, 6I and 61'jare so proportioned with relation tothe airpressure and the diameter of the pneumatic As soon as theV piston I3 and the grease piston I2, that the piston'unit-composed of thepistons v66, .6I and ,'61 will move-forward `in the direction of the` arrow 18 at a pressure somewhat below the maximum pressure which the piston I2 is capable of pro- 'i through the hose I 8. f

'In this manner, a relatively largequantity of ducing with the available air pressureV delivered grease may be delivered normally by the piston Y'I2 at pressures 'which are suflicient to deliverVA the grease into the great majorityof the bearto outsidelmeans for clearing clogged bearings,

and the same, system maybe applied to all bearings'whether normal or clogged, `without change of adjustment or change of initial pressure. The means herein disclosed is applicable to the systemv shown infmy patent hereinabove identified f I amaware that my invention may be embodied in other specific formsV without departing fromthe spirit or essential attributes thereof, and I therefore desire the present embodiment lto be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, reference being Vhad to theappended claims rather than tothe fore- Ygoing description to indicate thescope ofthe invention.

g Having thus kdescribed my invention, what l hereby'claim as new and useful, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

11 Alubricating system comprising in .com-

binatioriV ajtubular` housing having a large diameter low pressure lubricant cylinder nearer thel .intake end thereof, and having a small Vdiameter and high pressure lubricant cylinder nearer the dischargeV end thereof, a piston unit movably mounted within said housing, having a large diameter low pressure lubricant actuated l piston operatively disposed within said low pressure cylinder, and a small diameter high pressure lubricant expelling piston operatively connected therewith and'disposed in cooperative `'relation to said high, pressure cylinder,` a lubricant passageway extending through said pistons,

and" normally interconnecting vthe intake end andthe discharge end of said housing, a check valve carried in the discharge end of said-lubricant passageway adapted normally to permit ,thejfree' flow of ,lubricant therethrough,` but adapted to close when the pressure of lubricant ahead ofthe pistons increases, a spring of pre- Y i determined strength operatively interposed be- A tween said housing and said pistons, tending Yto urge the latter towards the intake end of said housing, pneumatic lubricant dispensing means flexibly connected tothe intake end of the aforesaid housing through a; flexible lubricant conduit, said pneumatic grease dispensing means including a lubricant expelling Lpiston operative- `ly disposed within a lubricant cylinder, a 'larger diameter air-actuated piston operativelyr disposed within a pneumatic cylinder and operatively connected with said lubricant piston, and

'means for delivering lubricant to said lubricant cylinder at a relatively low pressure, and

cylinder at a relatively low pressure ;:the effecfor delivering compressed air to said pneumatic Y 4mentioned air-actuated piston and said lastznentioned lubricant-expelling piston, as Vto cause the first-mentioned low and high prese sure `pistons totravel forward against the force of theV vinst-mentioned'spring` at -a pressure somewhat below the maximum pressure which the last-mentionedV lubricant-,expelling piston is Acapable of delivering tothe intake end of the aforesaid housing. Y l Y ,2. A lubricating system comprising Lin oom- -bination a vportable pneumatic lubricant dispenser, including a lubricant cylinder having a relatively low-pressure lubricant-expelling piston operatively disposed therein, and having an intake -port and a discharge port, a :larger diameter pneumatic cylinder having an Aain-actu'- ated piston operatively disposed therein, and operatively connected with saidlubricant-exypelling piston, Va .source of A`lubricant supply. under a relatively jlower pressure, connected With the aforesaid lubricant cylinder, a remote source of compressed air flexibly connected .to said lubricant dispenser, means for causing said compressed air to expel successive charges .of lubricant Vfrornthe lubricant cylinder of said pneumatic lubricant dispenser, a tubular metallic housing flexibly connected to theY discharge port -of the lubricant cylinder oi said pneumatic lubricant dispenser, said tubular housing having va large-diameter V,low-pressure' lubricant Acylinder nearer the intake end thereof, and .having asmall diameter and high-pressure lubricant vcylinder nearer the discharge end thereof, .a

piston unit movablyzmounted within said housing,having a large diameter rlow pressure Ypiston operatively disposed :within said `low-pressure cylinder, andv a small diameter high-pressure piston operatively connected therewith and ,opg

Aerative'ly disposed within said Vhigh pressure cylinder, a lubricant passageway extending through saidpistons, and normally interconnecting the intake end and the discharge end of Ysaid housing, a .check valve carried in said llubricant passageway adapted normally to ,per-'- mit the free flow Aof lubricant therethrough, `,but adapted to closewhen'the pressure of lubricant ahead Vof the pistons increases, a spring of predetermined strength operatively 'interposed be' tween said housing and Vsaid last-mentioned piston unit, tendingto urge the latter towards the intake .end of said housing; and 'eective iarea of the low pressure piston of said last-meritioned piston unit and the strength of the spring acting upon said vpiston unit being so proporv tioned with relation to ,each other and to said vrs'tn'ientioned air-actuated piston and'lubricant-expelling piston, as Vto cause 'said last-Y mentioned piston unit to travel forward against the .force of thespri'ng` at a pressure somewhat below the yrriaximum .pressure which the ,airactuated piston is capable of `deliveringlto the vintake end oi said'tubular metallic housing. Y

3. vA booster unit comprising atubular housinghaving .an intake port at one endanda dis-V charge port lat the other end,` a series of three cylinders within said tubular housing foiI three different diameters ;the intermediate diameter being nearest the. intake port -of the housing,

vand the smallest diameter-being nearest the .dis-

:charge port ofk the housing, and the largest Vdiameter beingelisposed intermediate-of the two,

' housing. Y

a piston unit operatively disposed within `said housing, having three piston portions of diameters corresponding .to the three ycylinder portions and being arranged to iitwithin the corresponding cylinder portions of the housing, .a spring operatively interposed between saidv piston unit and said housing, tending to urge the piston unit towards-the intake port of the housing, a passageway extending through saidpiston .unit and affording, in the inoperative position of the booster uni-t, a free passageway for Vlubricant from the intake port .to the discharge port of'the housing, anda check Valve adapted to close the passageway through the housing Yand through said piston unit in a direction from the dischar-ge port towards the -intake port of .the housing. n

4. A booster Vunit comprising a tubular housing having an intakeport atone end and a'dis- :charge portat the other end, a series of three vcylinders within said tubular housing of three di-ierent diameters;-the intermediate ldiameter being nearest the intake port of the housing',

vand the smallest 4vdiameterbeing nearest the discharge port Yof the housing, and the largest diameter being disposed intermediaterof the two, Ka piston unit operatively disposed within Ysaid housing, having -three piston portions or" diameters corresponding 'to the threeI-cylinderportions and beingarranged to iit Withinthe corresponding cylinder portions of the housing, a spring yoperatively interposed between said piston `unit 'and said housing, tending .to vurge the piston unit towards the` intake port of the housing, a. passageway extending through said piston unit and affording, in the inoperative kposition of the `booster unit, a iree passageway for lubricant from the intake port to the discharge port of the housing, and a check valve lcarried by the piston unit, yachipt-id 'toclose the :passageway through the housing and through said piston unit to the `flow of lubricant in a direction from the disoharge port towards ythe intake port of the 5. A booster unit comprising a tubular housinghaving an intakelport at one end and a discharge 'port at theother end, ka series vof4 three Ycylinderswithin said tubular housing of three diierent diametersg-the intermediate diameter being nearest the yintake Yport of the housing,

and the smallest diameter being nearest Athe discharge port fof the housing, land `the vlargest diameter lbeing disposed intermediate of the two, ajpiston unit operatively disposed within said housing, having three 'ci the booster unit, a `free vpassageway vfor lubricant'fromthe intake yport'vto the discharge -port of the housing, and acheck valve adapted 'to Vclose the passageway lthrough the vhousing and ,through said piston Yunit in a direction from the ydischarge port towards the intake vport of vthe housing--the piston of intermediate diameter being adapted to shield the piston of the largest .diameter from the lubricant when ,the 4piston `unit-is in'itsinitial position, Vand to uncoversaid largest piston to the lubricant after the Vpiston piston portions of 'diamel ters :corresponding to the .three cylinder porcylinders within said tubular housing of three different diameters g-the intermediate diameter being nearest the intake port of the housing, and the smallest diameter being nearest the discharge port of the housing, and the largest diameter being disposed intermediate of vthe two, a piston unit operatively disposed within said housing, having three piston portions of diameters corresponding to the three cylinder portions and being arranged to fit within the correspond` ing cylinder portions of the housing, a spring operatively interposed between said piston unit and said housing, tending to urge the piston unit towards the intake port of the housing, a passageway extending through said piston unit and ailording, in the inoperative position of the booster unit, a free passageway for lubricant from the intake port to the discharge port of the housing, and a check valve carried by the piston unit, adapted to close the passageway through the housing and through said piston unit to the flow of lubricant in a direction from the discharge port towards the intake port of the housing;-the piston of intermediate diameter being adapted to shield thev piston of the largest diameter from the lubricant when the piston unit is in its initial position and to uncover said largest piston to the lubricant after the piston unit has travelled a part of the distance towards the discharge end of the housing and a checkvalve controlled by-pass adapted to permit the return iiow of lubricant when the pressure of the source is lowered.

7. Alubricating system comprising, in combination, two pairs of differential cylinders, the larger of the rst pair being adapted to be connected with any suitable source of compressed air of any suitable relatively low pressure, through any suitable air-control valve, and having also an exhaust port whereby compressed air of any suitable relatively low pressure may be alternately admitted into said cylinder and then permitted to exhaust therefrom; and the smaller of the first pair being adapted to communicate with a source of lubricantsupply, and having its discharge endV in communication with the intake end of the larger of the second pair of differential cylinders, a pair of differential pistonsreciprocable in saidfrst pair of differential cylinders, the larger being adapted to be actuated through its driving stroke by the compressed air adapted to be admitted into said larger cylinder, and being adapted to drive the smaller through its operative stroke, and the smaller piston being adapted to deliver predetermined charges of lubricant to the larger of the second pair of differential cylinders, a pair of differen-v tial pistons reciprocable in said second pair of differential cylinders, and adapted to be pro-- pelled in one direction through an operative stroke by the lubricant delivered by the smaller of the rst pair of differential pistons, a return spring adapted to `propel said second pair of differential pistons in the opposite directions; and a check-valved by-pass extending fromthe larger to the smaller of said second pair of differential cylinders, the ratio of effective areas of the first pair of differential pistons and the effective area of the larger of said second pair of differential pistons and the strength of Vsaid return spring being so proportioned with relation to eachother as to prevent the movement of the second pair of differentialpistons against the force of the return spring, and to cause the ,s

c ow of lubricant through said by-pass so long as the resistance to such ow is relatively low,

and as to cause said secondpair of differentialA pistons to travel forward against the force ofl said return spring when the resistance to the Viiow of lubricant through s aid by-pass is in- 

